


country roads take me home

by allechant



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dubious Consent, Eventual Smut, F/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:53:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26298223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allechant/pseuds/allechant
Summary: never trust a beautiful man. all they know how to do is to lie.
Relationships: Main Character/Solomon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Once upon a midnight road](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25831909) by [DefenstrationProtestation (Sand_Cursive)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sand_Cursive/pseuds/DefenstrationProtestation). 



> thanks sand for blessing us with vampire asmo ♡ i hope you like how this one went!
> 
> it'd probably make more sense if you read "Once upon a midnight road" before starting on this one, though I guess this _could_ be read as a standalone if you so wish.

She stared out of the window as the roads passed by, unfamiliar in the daytime. Now that she thought about it, wasn’t it strange how she ended up here, smack in the middle of nowhere?

The cab driver adjusted the rear-view mirror, and she managed to catch a glimpse of his eyes in the glass. They were an almost unsettling shade of blue, but she couldn’t figure out why it made her so uneasy. Then he pulled down his cap, hiding his eyes from view once more.

“How far away are we from the nearest town?” she asked, drumming her fingers against her knee. With her phone battery flat, there was nothing to distract her from her boredom, and the scenery had long lost its appeal. She desperately wanted to get to civilisation.

“It’s quite a ride. I don’t know how you managed to trek all the way here, but it’s going to take an hour at least.” He sounded as tired as he looked. But not the voice of an older man, like she initially assumed. “Do you want to change your destination?”

“It’s fine.” She didn’t know anywhere else she could go. And she had to get to her meeting point by the end of the day – the last thing she wanted was for people to think something had happened to her. She’d dealt with the police once, and she’d prefer not to do it again.

He fell silent, and for a while, she weighed the pros and cons of trying to start a conversation. Generally, she favoured quiet drivers who didn’t distract her with meaningless chatter, but it was just _too_ quiet, and the mind-numbing boredom was getting to her head.

“Do you know Asmodeus?” she asked, finally deciding to break the ice. She was pretty sure he wouldn’t – part of her was already beginning to wonder if the previous night was nothing more than a dream. But he let out a laugh at the mention of Asmodeus, a harsh bark that grated on her ears, and glanced over his shoulder at her.

She still couldn’t quite see his face, but there was a hint of a smile curving his lips, almost a smirk. Something about him made her uncomfortable, but she couldn’t place a finger on what. “Why? Do you have a sweet, lovesick message for him? He’s not going to respond.”

“Huh?” She couldn’t hide her confusion even if she wanted to. He turned back to the road ahead, vast and open, emptiness stretching on for miles.

“I’ve seen too many people lose themselves within him. Searching for a master who refuses to beckon them home.” He heaved a sigh. “But you. You’re not quite like them, are you?”

“I…don’t think so?” She was starting to think he might just be a little bit mad. Living out here in all this wilderness probably didn’t do him any favours. She contemplated her situation; if he _was_ crazy, then maybe it’d be a good idea to get out of the cab now.

But then, she hadn’t seen any other cars drive down this road the entire time she was in the cab, and she didn’t want to risk being stranded once again. It was unlikely that she’d find yet another old castle to take refuge in. And even if she did, she wasn’t sure that she wanted to.

He hummed, sounding pleased for some reason. “Indeed, you’re most definitely not.”

She waited for him to continue, to elaborate on what he meant by those cryptic words, but of course, he clammed up entirely after that, refusing to add on to the topic. Silence reigned in the cab, and she looked out of the window again, watching the cloudless blue sky.

Time passed. She didn’t know how long, but she must have fallen asleep at some point; the first thing she realised as her eyelids fluttered open was that the cab was no longer moving. She tried to turn her head to view her surroundings, and immediately her neck protested, the stiff muscles sending sharp bolts of pain down her back.

The driver’s seat was empty. She forced herself to ignore the dull ache in her neck, looking around to get a sense of where she was – the first thing she saw was a gas station, and she figured that was where the cab driver had disappeared to.

Her stomach rumbled, and she winced – she hadn’t realised just how hungry she was. The air outside shimmered, heatwaves rising from black tar, and she guessed that it was probably around noon by now. How was it that she still had yet to reach her destination?

Or…was there a _reason_ for the delay? Was her cab driver a kidnapper? A sex trafficker? Her stomach let out another growl, but she felt sick – the possibilities swirled around her mind, a never-ending parade of terrible outcomes. She shouldn’t have fallen asleep so readily.

She reached for the door, deciding that maybe she should take her chances with the great outdoors. She did it once, she could _probably_ do it again – and if not, there was always the gas station. Maybe she could borrow a phone, try to get a friend to rescue her or something.

But the door refused to open. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, willing herself to think. So, her cab driver had locked the door. There was no need to panic – he probably just wanted to prevent people from driving off with his cab. That was _understandable_.

She glanced out of the window and saw the gas station doors sliding open. Out came the cab driver, and she noticed that he wasn’t wearing his cap – instead, he was fanning himself with it, holding on to a bottle of water with his other hand. She squinted, trying to make out his features from afar, and she realised that her suspicions were right. He _was_ young.

He approached the cab, and she quickly fell back against the seat, pretending that she was still asleep. He was whistling, and she listened for the sound of the door unlocking, deciding she would bolt once she was able to – but then she heard a loud _click_ alarmingly close to her face and she opened her eyes to see a bottle of water thrust in front of her.

“Have some water. It’s stupidly hot right now.” She looked up, meeting the gaze of the driver – his yellow-blue eyes watched her, his expression unreadable. She hesitated, still suspicious of his intentions, but her gaze was drawn to the drops of condensation rolling slowly down the plastic and, seized by an overwhelming thirst, she reached for the drink.

“Thanks,” she muttered, twisting the cap and taking large, greedy gulps – the cool liquid ran down her throat, soothing the sudden fire that had sprung up from nowhere. He nodded, shutting the door and going back to the driver’s side. Neither of them said a word as he pulled out of the gas station, resuming the long drive through the centre of nothingness.

Time passed again, and even with the aircon on full blast it was starting to feel like an oven in the cab – she plucked listlessly at her shirt, attempting to cool herself to no avail. She idly considered dumping the water on her head but decided that she’d rather not have the driver shouting at her, so she leant against the seat and tried to find ways to distract herself.

“What’s your name?” she finally asked. It was weird to hear her voice after such a long period of silence. He didn’t respond at first, simply reaching up to adjust the rear-view mirror.

She was beginning to wonder if she’d ever get a response when he finally cleared his throat. “Solomon,” he said. He offered nothing more than that, and she frowned, trying to figure out what to ask next – he was her only conversation partner, and she was desperate.

If she went another minute in this empty, silent hellhole, she might go mad. “And how long have you been a cab driver?” It couldn’t have been that long, given how young he looked.

“Hm. I don’t know. I’m not a _real_ cab driver,” he answered, sounding distracted. “It’s just something I do for extra cash. We're all about the gig economy, you know?”

Well, that didn’t sound reassuring. “Could you tell me more about where we’re headed?” The nearest town wasn't very near if they were still on the road after all this time.

“It’s just some town. I can’t remember the name.” Another offhand comment. She stared at the back of his head, wondering if he was serious. “Think we’ll be there in…an hour or so?”

“ _Another_ hour?” Unbelievable. She wondered how her car was doing, stuck on the side of the road. She liked that pile of junk, even if it broke down with alarming regularity. It was a car she had bought with her own money, but it was starting to seem like she might not see it again.

“Uh-huh.” He glanced back at her then, one eyebrow raised. “Is there a problem? I figured you’d want to know more about your current condition, so that’s the best place to go.”

Her irritation dissipated. “My current condition?” she echoed, wondering what he was talking about. She was sure she was fine. _Better_ than fine, even – she recalled her reflection from this morning, how all the scars and marks and blemishes had disappeared from her skin.

Was that what he meant by a _condition_? Sure, it was weird, but it didn’t seem to be hurting her. “Yeah. Didn’t you notice anything unusual after you encountered Asmodeus?”

“Um. All the marks on my skin are gone. Bruises, blemishes, surgical scars, everything.” Which she didn’t think was a _bad_ thing but was certainly strange. “And…” She hesitated, then took a deep breath and decided to continue. “I’m sure that when I first visited the castle, it was still in good condition. Pretty well-maintained. But in the morning…that was no longer the case.”

“Okay. And Asmodeus was gone, yes?” There was no surprise in his voice, and that made her feel slightly better. It sounded like he believed her. Like she wasn’t going crazy or anything.

“That’s right.” She fiddled with the hem of her shirt, twirling soft linen around her finger. She could still smell the warmth of cedar lingering on the fabric. “Do you know where he went?”

“Mm, not exactly. He only shows up when he wants to. I don’t keep track of his location, and I don’t intend to either.” Solomon sounded faintly annoyed. “I’m curious. Do you recall seeing any punctures on your body? Like your neck, your thighs, your shoulders? Anywhere at all?”

Abruptly she remembered the twin marks on both sides of her neck. Like two sets of double-pronged needles had stabbed her in her sleep. “Yes…” She was starting to get a bad feeling about this entire situation. “You’re not going to tell me he’s a vampire, are you?”

She laughed as she spoke, trying to pretend there wasn’t a growing pit of dread threatening to swallow her whole. Vampires couldn’t exist. There was no evidence, nothing to prove that such beings were more than myth and legend – but he was being strangely quiet, and some part of her withdrew into herself, desperately trying to avoid her newfound awareness.

“What if I said he was?” His answer was light, conversational. She swallowed, a hand reaching up to touch the markings – she could feel the indentations in her skin, tiny holes that certainly weren’t there the day before. Too big to be an insect bite. Too small to be anything else.

“If he…if he truly is a vampire,” she began, her voice shaky, “then what will happen to me?”

He met her gaze again, and she stared back at him, afraid. There was something almost like pity in his eyes. “That’s where I’m bringing you. Somewhere you’ll get your answers.”

She nodded, unable to find the words to speak, and they continued to drive in silence, her thoughts whirling around her head. A vampire. What did that make her?

* * *

She dozed off again during the trip and was roused by someone shaking her. They were not gentle. “Oi. Get out. I need to park the car.”

It was a vaguely familiar voice. Blearily, she forced her eyes open, trying to rub the drowsiness away – when she looked out of the window, she blinked, startled by the change in the landscape.

Previously, they had been driving through open roads, the surroundings alternating between grassy plains and desert sand. But now the light was soft, dappled, filtering through the thick canopy of trees to illuminate the lush grass below. It looked like they were somewhere in the woods, though how he’d managed to drive his cab through all these trees eluded her.

“Where are we?” she asked, trying to shake off the remnants of her tiredness. It was inhumane to make anyone sit in a car for this long. Solomon didn’t answer, simply taking a step back so she could clamber out of the cab. The surrounding air was cool, and it made a nice change.

“Don’t leave your trash behind,” he complained, diving into the cab and taking out her empty bottle. She took it from him with a guilty murmur of thanks, trying to look for a trashcan. Given how there was nothing but trees and greenery around her, she didn’t manage to find one.

Solomon locked his car, leaving it in the middle of the grassy clearing, and started to walk off. She scrambled after him, not wanting to be stranded alone in the middle of the woods. “You should let me know where we’re headed!” she yelled, trying to keep up with him as he picked his way through the undergrowth. He was surprisingly quick for someone so tall, and on quite a few occasions she almost walked right into some obstacle that he had managed to avoid.

Trekking through the woods was tiring, but at the same time, it was peaceful. She enjoyed the silence, though she also realised that it was _too_ quiet – there was no birdsong, no movement in the undergrowth, not even any bugs coming to attack her.

“Where are we going?” she called, hoping to get a response this time. Solomon glanced over his shoulder at her, a shadow of a smile on his face, and beckoned to her. She narrowed her eyes, wondering what he had up his sleeve, but she approached him nevertheless.

“We’re almost there. Just a _tiny_ bit further,” he said when she was closer, close enough to see the traces of gold that flecked his blue eyes. She frowned. Funny, she was sure that his eyes were a murky shade of yellow-blue, but before she could question any further, he ducked through a gap between two trees and she had to go after him, careful not to lose her guide.

They broke into another grassy clearing, and the first thing she noticed within it was a perfect circle of mushrooms. A fairy ring. She suddenly recalled the old stories about the fae, how they gathered in fairy circles and spirited away any mortals unfortunate enough to come across them, and a shiver ran down her spine. After what Solomon suggested about her bite marks, she wasn’t taking any chances. “What are we doing here?” she demanded.

“Hm? Visiting the town, of course. You want answers, don’t you?” He stepped forward, but she didn’t follow him, still suspicious. He chuckled. “You aren’t going to learn anything if you just stay outside the boundary. This gate leads to the town I mentioned.”

She blinked. “This…gate?” she echoed, squinting at the mushrooms. They looked like they might be poisonous, but there was nothing else special about them, and she wondered if Solomon was trying to pull a fast one.

He looked at her as though she had said something stupid. “What did you think it was?”

“A ring of mushrooms?” He drew a breath, looking like he wanted to say something, but then he paused and shook his head, seemingly disappointed. She frowned. Did he think this was common sense or something? It wasn’t like she was an _expert_ on supernatural beings.

“Come here and close your eyes,” he instructed, and deciding to listen to the words of the strange man, she stepped over the mushrooms, joining him in the middle of the circle. He murmured something in a language she didn’t understand, but there was something very _familiar_ about it, like the shadow of a dream fleeing from the morning sun – she felt a strong, compelling urge to shut her eyes, and she followed her instinct, her world turning dark.

The ground beneath her feet shifted and she almost stumbled, but then a hand gripped her shoulder – his touch sent a sudden tingle through her skin, like static without the pain – and she managed to find her footing. It felt like the ground was _sinking_ , and moments later a cool, almost liquid sensation enveloped her. She was tempted to peek, but a mysterious force kept her frozen in place and she couldn’t move any part of her body.

She tried to say something, but her mouth refused to open and she couldn’t make a single sound. It was terrifying, but before she could _really_ start to panic, he cleared his throat. “You can open your eyes now.” And open them she did – the first thing she noticed was the wavy lavender grass surrounding her, nothing like the silent woods they had stepped into.

It was beautiful. Now that she could see, it felt like her other senses were slowly returning to her, and when she inhaled she could smell something floral. She didn’t recognise what flower it was, but it was intoxicating all the same – she took another deep breath, allowing the scent to settle in her lungs. The air itself seemed to shimmer, almost like a mirage. She swore she could see traces of… _something_ around her, some kind of mystic, unidentifiable power.

“Don’t get distracted. We still have some way to go.” She glanced at her companion when he spoke and she blinked, taking in the sight of him. Solomon frowned back at her. “What?”

“You look…different.” That was putting it mildly. He still had the same white hair, still had the same blue eyes, but within them she could see the flecks of gold she’d noticed earlier, shimmering as they caught the watery sunlight. He had always been attractive, but in an unassuming way, almost blending into the background – now, she couldn’t figure out what had changed, but he had become impossibly beautiful, all sharp eyes and pouty lips and alabaster skin.

Just like Asmodeus, there was something almost _inhuman_ about him, and unease nestled in her gut. Her gaze landed on his ears – were they always that pointy? She didn’t recall; he had been wearing a cap for most of the trip, and it was hard to make out his features sometimes.

“Do I?” A smile tugged at his lips, knowing, almost seductive. Her heart thudded. “Maybe you were tired from the journey, so you didn’t notice. I’ve always looked this way.”

She scowled. He most certainly had not – she remembered her first glimpse of his face when he left the gas station, and while he was handsome, he still looked decidedly _normal_. Not the kind of person who could take her breath away with just a smile or a lingering look.

“Where are we headed?” She decided to change the subject; it didn’t seem like he would tell her the truth anytime soon, and she didn’t want to waste time pressing the issue.

“Mm, to my hometown. Follow me, and don’t wander.” He turned towards a narrow path she was quite sure hadn’t been there earlier, and she followed him, looking around to take in the scenery. It was so… _different_. Petals fell gently around them, caressing her skin – they were silky soft and came in all shapes and sizes. But she saw no flowers on the trees nearby.

The leaves came in a brilliant array of colours that reminded her of gemstones, sparkling and gorgeous and completely senseless – amethyst, topaz, sapphire, obsidian. They fluttered in a breeze she could not feel, leaves that shouldn’t _exist_ in such beauty but did all the same.

She could hear murmurs in the undergrowth, mysterious sounds that didn’t seem to belong to any animal she recognised. She peered into the trees, hoping to spot something, but the woods were eerily still and she wondered if she was imagining the faint chirrups she’d heard. “We aren’t, um…” She thought about how to phrase her question. “We aren’t in the _human_ world anymore, are we?” It sounded weird, but she didn’t know how else to say it.

“Nope.” He held aside a branch for her, and she gaped at the tree as she walked past – it was a soft, delicate shade of gold, and it shimmered hypnotically, drawing her gaze. She yearned to reach out and touch the bark, curious about how it would feel, but Solomon called for her and she jolted out of her trance, hurrying back to the path. She glanced over her shoulder as she trekked through the woods, wondering what kind of tree that was. Where _were_ they?

Solomon was whistling, his hands shoved in his pockets as he went along. He made hiking through the woods look _easy_ , and she swore that sometimes, his feet barely even skimmed the ground. She picked a few stray leaves out of her hair, envious of how graceful he was.

Almost as though he could read her mind, he looked around and grinned at her; his smile made her breath catch. “What would you do if I told you Asmodeus might be there?”

“Asmodeus?” A memory of the beautiful man flashed through her mind, and she shivered. “What do you mean, he might be there? He said…he said…” What _did_ he say? Everything was kind of fuzzy. “He said he would be leaving today,” she mumbled.

“Mm. And he left, didn’t he?” Was he _levitating_ , or were her eyes playing tricks on her? She swore his feet were floating just an inch or two above the ground, but she couldn’t be sure. “He left, and this morning you woke up alone in the castle. But where did he go?”

“I don’t know. I just assumed he was going to catch up with his colleagues or something.” She noticed his raised eyebrow. “His brothers-in-arms, that’s what he called them.”

“Oh.” Solomon’s smile widened. “Maybe you’ll bump into his colleagues someday. They’re quite the eccentric lot.” With that, he continued down the path, and she puzzled over the point of the conversation, wondering if he had been trying to hint at something.

He brushed through a gap between some bushes, disappearing into the foliage, and she had to pick her way through the greenery, careful not to catch her hair or clothes on any thorns. It took a while, but she finally emerged from the bushes and found herself standing outside a dreamlike town, the kind of place that looked like it sprung right out of some fantasy tale.

She gaped, startled by how pretty it was. There were doors leading into tall, sprawling trees, the branches spreading protectively over the town below. Other buildings were carved into giant red toadstools, their impressive stalks alone easily dwarfing her. She could see people flitting between the buildings, some tall and elegant like Solomon, others stout and swift on their feet. She rubbed her eyes. Surely her mind was playing tricks on her.

“What _are_ you?” It was impossible not to ask at this point.

“You haven’t guessed by now?” He cocked his head, and she was reminded of a prowling cat moments before it pounced on its prey. “You can keep thinking about it, then. I don’t have to answer to someone who refuses to use their head.”

She was about to retort, not liking the implication behind his words, but he held out a hand, his palm upturned, and she stared at him, surprise making her forget what she wanted to say. He sighed. “Your bottle. I’m going to throw it away unless you want to carry it around.”

Oh. She’d forgotten she was still holding on to it. She gave it to him, and he crushed it like it was made of paper, flattening it between his palms. When he pulled his hands apart, the bottle was gone, and she blinked, wondering if she was going mad. “Where did it go?”

“Magicked away.” He said that like it was the most matter-of-fact thing in the world, and she slowly shook her head, unsure what to make of all this. Maybe this _was_ all just a dream, and if she pinched herself hard enough she’d wake up and find that she hadn’t even left her house yet. Solomon must have noticed the disbelief on her face. “Why, is it that surprising?”

“Magic doesn’t exist. Not real magic. It’s all just tricks, illusions.” She’d seen enough exposé videos to know she shouldn’t trust everything she saw. The human brain was easily duped.

“Then explain where the bottle went?” he asked, and she looked around them – maybe he had, through some sleight of hand, tossed the remnants of the bottle into the woods. “No, don’t even think about suggesting what’s on your mind. I would never pollute our home with your man-made plastic. Haven’t you seen the news about trash and global warming?”

Could he _truly_ read her mind? She was flabbergasted. “How did you know…?”

“People are so predictable. It’s almost sad.” He turned back to face the town, his expression unreadable. “If you had discarded that bottle anywhere while we were walking in the woods, you wouldn’t have been allowed past the gate. We have strict rules about littering here.”

“You didn’t warn me!” He was so _unreasonable_. It was sheer luck that she didn’t drop the bottle sometime during the trek – there were a few moments where she could have let go, and now she knew that doing so would have rendered her entire journey useless.

“Why would I say anything when it was a test?” He glanced at her, and she fell silent, her gaze transfixed by the hints of gold in his eyes – they shimmered, mesmerisingly soft, just like the tree they had walked by earlier. “You passed it, and that’s all that matters, isn’t it? Now follow me.”

He took off, gliding across the ground, and the moment he turned away she remembered how to breathe, her lungs drawing in greedy gulps of air. It felt like she had just surfaced from a deep pool of water, and she had to take a moment to recover before she could follow him.

As they approached the town, she began to hear faint strains of music, lovely and beautiful, and she saw Solomon pause, tilting his head as though he was listening to the melody. He glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled before he continued on his way, and she had to wonder what she had gotten herself into this time.


	2. Chapter 2

The first place Solomon brought her to was an inn.

At least, that was what it appeared to be. She could see wooden tables with empty chairs all around and a counter at the back, though there wasn’t anyone manning it at the moment.

“We should get you some accommodation, and then you can start looking for your answers.” Solomon walked to the counter and knocked on the countertop three times – they waited a moment, and suddenly a stout man popped up from beneath the counter, hopping onto a tall stool. She stared. He was the size of a child, but he certainly looked nothing like one.

Though Solomon didn’t seem to notice anything wrong. “One room for two nights. With meals,” he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a few silver coins. The coins didn’t look like any currency she was familiar with. The man nodded and swiped the money off the counter, dropping a set of keys in their place. Solomon picked them up with a smile.

“Here you go. I think we will know what happened to you by tonight, and afterwards, you can be on your merry way.” He placed the keys in her palm, curling her fingers over them, and she noticed just how _cool_ his touch was – not as cold as Asmodeus, but enough to make her flinch. “I have something to do, so I’ll come and get you later. The innkeeper will help you.”

He left her with that, walking out of the inn with a wave, and she awkwardly turned towards the innkeeper, who regarded her with interest in his eyes. “A human, are you?” he said, his voice deep and gruff. “We don’t get a lot of those around here. Well, not anymore.”

Would it be rude to ask him what _he_ was? “Thanks for the accommodation,” she finally said, not sure what else she could talk about without potentially offending him.

“I’m just doing what I’m paid to do,” he answered, sounding amused. “I reckon you’re like all the humans who come here. Searching for the truth. I’ve seen quite a few of your type, and I will give you one word of advice if you so wish to hear it.”

She nodded, and the man glanced around before he leant closer and whispered in her ear. “Now, I know you humans have stories about us. And you’re not wrong for thinking we’re a tricky bunch. But there’s one group among us all that you should never trust. The fae.”

“The fae?” she echoed, puzzled. Were they really all fairy-folk? It was difficult to believe; she couldn’t help thinking that maybe she was the latest victim in some reality show. Though it would be an _extremely_ elaborate prank if that was the case.

“What do you think the fae want humans for?” He sighed. “Well, I don’t wish to talk about it. These walls have ears. But be careful around the fae. They can bless their favoured humans with good fortune and long lives, but it does come at a cost.”

“Why are you helping me?” She barely knew this man, and she couldn’t figure out any reason for him to help her. He looked at her, and she could feel his gaze penetrating her very soul.

“Once upon a time, I was just like you. But that was a long, long time ago,” he said, and she flinched back, startled by the revelation. “This town changes people. Don’t do anything that might force you to stay, because who knows what will happen to you then.”

He withdrew behind the counter, clearing his throat, back to his professional façade. “You can go up to your room to rest now if you’d like. I’ll send some food up to you later.”

She looked at her key, tracing the delicate filigree, the numbers carved into the head. A golden key. She would have thought it ostentatious if it wasn’t so pretty. “Thank you.”

He nodded, and she went up the stairs, looking around as she walked. The inn was clean and spacious, with an almost homely air to it – she searched for her room and found it quickly, the numbers etched into the smooth wood decorated with carvings of flowers and butterflies. It was such a pretty inn; she would have appreciated staying here if it weren’t for her situation.

When she unlocked the door, she stepped into a tidy, sunlit room – the windows were wide, the drapes drawn back to allow light to enter. The bed was made, sheets crisp and pressed. There were no power outlets so she couldn’t charge her phone, but there was a shelf full of books at the side of the room and she browsed through them, looking at the titles.

There was a mix of languages here. A few books were in English, though that was a minority; most of them were written in some language she didn’t understand. She pulled out one of those books, tracing a finger over the foreign words – they were made up of symbols, closer to hieroglyphs than anything else. Probably the language that was spoken around here.

Putting the book back, she looked through the English selection, finally picking one about the fairy-folk – if she truly _was_ among fairies now, then it’d probably be best if she brushed up on her knowledge about them. Locking the door, she made herself comfortable on the bed as she flipped through the book. How long did she have before Solomon returned?

The first chapter was about the fae, and she recalled what the innkeeper said – _never trust the fae_. This chapter should be a good place to start, then.

She began to read, but everything the book described sounded…suspicious. It didn’t have a single bad thing to say about the fae or any of the fairy-folk in general, and soon enough she figured that this book was probably not the most reliable source of information. She decided to continue anyway – maybe she’d still manage to discover something useful.

She wasn’t sure how long she spent reading the book with its overdramatic stories of justice and honour, but suddenly she heard a knock and she got off the bed, grateful for an excuse to put the ridiculous thing down.

When she opened the door, she saw a tiny girl, even shorter than the innkeeper, struggling with a tray of food. “Oh, let me help you with that!” she said, instinctively reaching for the tray. The girl gave her a grateful look, and she noticed her pointed ears. Was she a…pixie?

“Enjoy!” she trilled, then she dashed away, and she was left holding the tray, looking down an empty hallway. She glanced at the contents of the tray – a bowl of soup, some thick chunks of bread and a small salad. Her stomach growled, and she decided it was about time she finally ate something, so she closed the door with her foot and took the tray to the nearby table.

Honestly speaking, this was a pretty nice room. She’d have to thank Solomon for helping her with her accommodations later, no matter how suspicious his intentions might be.

Though that made her think. Why _was_ he helping her? What benefit would he reap out of it? He didn’t seem to be someone who did things out of the kindness of his heart. She recalled the bottle of water he bought and how it turned out to play a more significant role than she thought. Solomon was a tricky one; she’d have to keep her guard up around him.

She stirred her soup, picking up a spoonful and inhaling – mushroom, a rich, earthy, _glorious_ smell. When she swallowed, it went down smooth and creamy, and she thought it might just be one of the best soups she’d ever tasted. The bread’s crust was perfectly crispy, the inside soft and fluffy, and it made an amazing companion to the soup, while the lettuce in the salad was fresh and crunchy, the natural sweetness of the vegetables spreading over her tongue.

Maybe she wouldn’t mind staying longer in this town if that meant being able to eat food like this every day…she shook her head, getting rid of the thought. No, she was going to find her answers and then be on her way. She had things to do, friends to meet, a home to return to.

“You look like you’re enjoying your meal.” It was a familiar voice. Her head shot up and she turned towards the door – there Solomon stood, a look of amusement on his face. “I didn’t think anyone would enjoy inn food this much. There are better meals out there, you know.”

“It’s delicious,” she defended herself, feeling strangely insulted. What was it about Solomon and the ease with which he got beneath her skin? “I’m sorry if it’s not up to _your_ impeccable standards, but I’m starving and I’m going to eat whatever is given to me.”

“And that’s how you get into trouble.” He sighed. “You should be more careful with what you’re given around here, lest you end up compelled to stay for the rest of your life.”

She froze. “Um. I can still leave this place, right? Even if I eat the food here?”

“Yes, you can.” He laughed at the relief on her face. “You’re so gullible. It’s almost funny. Then again, you humans would believe just about anything.”

“You still haven’t told me what you are.” She let his comment about humans slide – there was nothing she could say in response to that.

“Hm.” He glanced at the book she had put aside on the bed. “Based on what that book says, what do _you_ think I am?” He closed the door, stalking towards her with a gleam in his gold-flecked eyes, and her breath caught. He was unfairly beautiful. “I’d like to hear your opinion.”

“Are you…an elf?” she guessed, taking in his pointy ears, his slender build, his ephemeral grace. He chuckled, shaking his head.

“A good guess though. Try again.”

She frowned, going down her mental list of fairy-folk. He was too tall to be a dwarf, gnome or pixie. He was too human-looking to be a troll. And he had ruled out the elves. Which left…

“A faerie?” She felt a shiver run down her spine, and when she met his gaze, she realised that he was standing right in front of her, regarding her curiously.

“Almost.” His smile was impossible to read. “Let’s leave it at that, shall we? Anyway, moving on to other things – it turns out that one of Asmodeus’… _colleagues_ is in town, so if you’d like to find out more about your current condition, we can go and visit him.”

She perked up at his suggestion. “That sounds good. Where is he now?”

“Shopping.” He cocked his head. “Though I’d be careful around him if I were you. He’s well known for having an ill temper, even if you wouldn’t think that when you first meet him.”

“Right. Sure.” His warning dampened her spirits slightly, but she was still eager to know more about her situation. The sooner she figured things out, the sooner she could leave, and right now that was the main thing keeping her going. “Let’s go now. Before it gets dark outside.”

“Mm, sounds like a plan.” He reached forward, and she stiffened as his hand approached her face – Solomon simply adjusted a loose strand of hair, tucking it behind her ear, and she let out a breath, wondering what she had been expecting. “There, now you look presentable.”

“Did I not look presentable earlier?” she asked, affronted. He grinned.

“Oh, no. You looked like you were ready for someone to come and gobble you up.” She blinked, taken aback by his words, but he carried on like nothing was wrong. “I think we should get some shopping done too, while we’re at it. You stick out like a sore thumb.”

She looked down at her outfit. Did it look that bad? It wasn’t like Solomon was dressed too differently himself. “What’s the point? It’s not like I’ll be staying here longer than necessary.”

“Treat it as a gift, from me to you.” He hummed, his gaze dropping down to her figure, and she fidgeted, unsure how to feel about him staring at her this way. On the one hand, it was almost flattering. On the other…the last thing she wanted was to get into _another_ tryst with _another_ inhumanly beautiful being. That was how she got into this situation in the first place.

Anyway, Solomon was suspicious. She wouldn’t trust him any further than she could throw him. “You don’t have to waste money like that. You already paid for my room and meals.”

“I have money to spare.” He waved a careless hand, and she didn’t know what to say, so she just kept quiet. “Shall we leave now? It gets dark quickly around these parts.”

He extended a hand towards her, and she stared at it for a moment – his fingers were long, slender, the hands of a pianist. He didn’t say a word, didn’t prompt her to take his hand, but in the end, she found herself reaching for him anyway, her fingers slipping between his.

Part of her thought it was _weird_ for them to be holding hands like this, but at the same time, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Like his hand was made to fit hers. He raised their intertwined hands to his mouth, and she felt his lips graze her skin, making her shiver.

“Good girl,” she thought she heard him murmur, but before she could question what he meant, he pulled her out of the room and she forgot everything she had wanted to say.

* * *

They wandered down to the markets, where Solomon pointed out a gorgeous blond man peering into the glass windows of a shop. “That’s Satan. One of Asmodeus’ brothers.”

Were all of Asmodeus’ colleagues so good-looking? She was suddenly curious about what the rest of them looked like. How many people were on his team, even? He never told her.

“And he’s a…vampire?” she asked, playing along with what Solomon hinted at during their car ride. Solomon’s mouth twisted upwards, somewhere between a smile and a smirk.

“If that’s what you think he might be. Go and say hello.” He released her hand and nudged her shoulder, and she stumbled forward – Satan glanced at her, and she could feel her face flame in embarrassment. Shooting a glare over her shoulder, she walked towards Satan, her mind still scrambling to think of an introduction that wouldn’t sound too stupid.

“Um. Hi. I heard you’re one of Asmodeus’ brothers, and I was wondering if I could ask –”

“If you’d like me to deliver a message to him, then no. I’m tired of being his courier. He needs to stop toying with people whose names he can’t even remember.”

Satan’s words were clipped, and they took her by surprise – she stood there, blinking at him, and he turned away from her. She managed to find her voice before he could walk too far. “No! It’s not about delivering a message to him! I have a few questions about…vampires.”

That made him stop, and Satan looked back at her, one perfect eyebrow raised. It was hard to look into those piercing green eyes and remember what she had wanted to talk about. “I think Asmodeus bit me last night, and when I woke up this morning all my scars were gone. _All_ of them,” she emphasised. “Even the injuries from years ago, long before I ran into him.”

“And you’re telling me this because…?” Satan still didn’t look particularly interested, but at least he was no longer walking away, and she supposed that counted for something.

“I just want to make sure I’m not dying or anything. Someone told me it was a _condition_ , and he didn’t elaborate so I figured it would be best to find out directly from…um, one of you.”

“One of _us_?” he echoed, though his lips curved up and she wondered what she said that he found so amusing. “It’s funny how afraid you are of saying the word vampire. Ah, see, you’re flinching again. Are we truly that repulsive to you, human?”

“No, you’re not.” She had no idea if she truly meant it, but he was walking towards her and it was difficult to think. Satan leant in, crowding her personal space, and she looked frantically around for her companion – Solomon was nowhere to be seen, much to her displeasure.

“Well, let’s take a look at you then, shall we?” Satan reached out to grip her chin between his fingers, a thin smile on his face. Instinctively, she tensed up, her breaths quick and panicked. “You aren’t a thrall…which makes sense. Lucifer was getting on Asmodeus’ case about that.”

“A thrall?” she repeated, feeling stupid. Over forty-eight hours she had learnt more new vocabulary than she’d ever care to know.

“Oh, human slaves. Our portable blood bags.” His green eyes glittered. “We usually turn the ones who smell the sweetest and…well, if you’d met me and not Asmodeus, things wouldn’t have ended up this way.” His whisper brushed against her ear, and she sucked in a breath.

“Wait. You’re _really_ a vampire?” she squeaked, barely able to find the will to step back. Part of her had hoped that it was all a joke. Some stupid, unnecessarily elaborate prank. Or maybe a fantastical dream. Satan just stared at her, one eyebrow raised, and she swallowed.

“You walked right up to me with no clue what you were doing, I suppose.” His smile was not kind, and when he bared his teeth she could see the curve of fangs glinting in the sun. She stiffened, her eyes widening. “There can only be one way to deal with such carelessness.”

“Oh no, you are _not_ going sink your teeth into me, mister.” She didn’t know what possessed her to say that, but the words spilt out of her mouth, natural as breathing. Satan froze. “I’ve had a _long_ day and I’m tired of putting up with all this supernatural crap! I came here looking for answers and you’re going to give them to me, vampire or not.”

God. She was going to die, wasn’t she? She braced herself for the inevitable attack, hoping it’d wake her up from whatever bizarre nightmare she was having, but instead, he began to laugh, his voice rich and inviting as honey. Instinctively, her toes curled.

Why did everyone have to be so stupidly attractive around here? “You’re such a fascinating human.” He shook his head. “No wonder Solomon took a liking to you.”

“What do you mean – wait, you know _Solomon_?”

Satan gave her a blank stare. “Why not? He’s good friends with Asmodeus. Didn’t you know?”

“He never mentioned that.” She wondered what else Solomon might be keeping from her. It was beginning to get on her nerves – him with his secrecy and knowing smiles and the way he seemed to _delight_ in getting her into trouble. Or awkward situations, at the very least.

“Hm. Maybe he has his reasons.” Satan shrugged. “I’ve never quite understood Solomon and I believe even Asmodeus doesn’t know what he’s thinking most of the time.” He smiled. “Oh, and don’t worry, I wouldn’t have bitten you. No attacks allowed here, not even on humans.”

The relief that shot through her was so strong that she almost crumpled to her knees. “Okay. I – that’s great. That’s great to know.” It would have been nice if Solomon told her that just so she wouldn't panic, but she'd realised a while ago that he wasn’t a very reliable person.

“Would you like to get a drink? I can try to explain why your scars disappeared.” She blinked – suddenly he was behaving like a perfect gentleman, and the abrupt change in behaviour was throwing her off. “I have some ideas, but I’d prefer not to discuss them in the middle of the street.”

“Oh.” She hesitated. “Okay. Did you have somewhere in mind?” In the back of her head, she wondered if she ought to let Solomon know – he was her only guide after all, and she didn’t fancy the thought of getting lost in this town. Who knew what other supernatural beings might try to take advantage of her.

But at the same time, she was _annoyed_ at him for not telling her things, and that was enough to make her decide against looking for him. Served him right for disappearing while she was talking to Satan. “There’s a nice café nearby. I think you’ll like it. They serve human food.”

That implied the existence of _non-human_ food, and now she was curious. “I’m fine with pretty much anything,” she answered, and as if trying to emphasise her point, her stomach rumbled yet again. She felt her cheeks warm – the meal she ate earlier was good, but it wasn’t enough.

Satan looked amused. “I can hear that. Shall we go, then? And don’t worry about Solomon,” he added, almost as though he could read her mind. “He’ll know where you are.”

“That makes him sound like a stalker or something,” she said, falling into step beside him.

“Maybe he is?” Satan glanced at her, and she couldn’t tell if he was joking or if he was being honest. “You know what he is, don’t you? Fae delight in playing tricks on humans and giving them… _tests_. If you pass the test, you get a reward. But Solomon isn’t a conventional faerie.”

“Not a conventional faerie? What does that even mean?” Fae weren't conventional, to begin with. No one would believe her if she said she was spirited away by the fairy-folk.

“It’s not in my place to talk about other people’s secrets. Why don’t you ask him if you’re that curious?” He hummed to himself, ignoring the way she frowned at him. “I’m sure he will tell you if you ask nicely, though he _would_ probably request something in return.”

“No thanks. I’m not that interested.” And she’d rather not risk anything happening to her. The secrets Solomon might divulge wouldn’t outweigh the price she’d end up paying. Probably.

“If that’s what you say.” Satan came to a stop in front of a giant toadstool. “Well, here we are. I recommend the apple pie.” He reached past her, pushing the door open. “After you?”

The doorway was slightly shorter than her, and she had to bend over to avoid knocking her head against the wall. Thankfully, the ceiling was much higher than she anticipated and she was able to stretch out to her full height once she was inside the café, though she was conscious of the many eyes upon her.

It was a relief to see the café patrons turn away the moment Satan came in. “Hello! How may I help you today?” She heard a high-pitched squeak and glanced down to see a pixie holding up two menus. She took one with a murmur of thanks, though Satan refused his.

The pixie escorted them to an empty table, and Satan pulled out the chair for her before he went over to his seat. She squinted at him – it was weird to see him being so polite, especially given the way they had met. “Do you want something from me? Is that why you’re being so nice?”

“I’m hurt by your suspicion. Is it wrong to be kind?” he asked, and the sad look on his face was _so_ convincing that she almost believed him. She was about to apologise when he suddenly burst out laughing, and she blinked, staring at him. “No, no. It’s nothing. I just thought I’d never seen anyone looking so conflicted,” he said, shaking his head.

She scowled. “Why do you supernatural beings enjoy making fun of humans so much?”

“Because your kind is so genuinely clueless about the world.” He grinned, and she paused – it was the first time she’d seen such a bright smile on his face. It was dazzling. “It’s amusing how you think you’re superior to everything else around you, despite how weak you truly are.”

“We don’t all think that way.” As the sole representative of her species here, she felt obligated to defend her fellow humans. He shrugged, plucking the menu from her hands and placing it on the table between them, and she realised that she didn’t understand a single word.

“Here’s the apple pie.” He pointed, and she looked at the accompanying illustration, thinking about her options. “Or if you want something sweeter, try that. I also recommend their tea.”

“You know I don’t understand any of this, right? Just order for me and I’ll eat it,” she said, and his eyes widened a fraction before his lips curved up, the most perfect smile she’d ever seen.

“All right then. If that’s what you want.” He raised his hand and the pixie who’d shown them to their seats zoomed over. Satan spoke to her and the pixie nodded, scribbling his order on a tiny notepad before she zoomed away again, presumably to give his order to the kitchen.

Did all fairy-folk move so quickly? Solomon was also pretty fast, now that she thought about it. “Anyway, about the disappearing scars…” Satan narrowed his eyes. “Just to give you some background information, thralls usually make a vampire stronger. The more thralls we keep, the more blood we can drink. Common sense, isn’t it?”

She nodded, though it was uncomfortable to think about. “If I know my brother, and trust me, I do – Asmodeus would have wanted to make you his thrall. Food is food, but you smell…” he paused, and she wondered if she had imagined the strange look that flitted through his eyes, “you smell so _inviting_ , and no vampire in their right mind would have given that up.”

He looked hungry. She hoped it was just for his apple pie. “Okay. So, assuming he wanted to make me his thrall, why would it fail then?”

Luckily her voice seemed to distract him, and he cleared his throat, his gaze fixed on her face. “Why? It could be any number of reasons. Maybe you didn’t take enough of his blood. Or he didn’t take enough of _yours_. Maybe you have magical blood in your veins. Maybe you are a descendant of some famous shrine maiden or something. Honestly, it could be anything.”

“That’s very vague.” She thought about her family tree, trying to remember – were any of her ancestors witches? Or holy people, perhaps? Nothing came to mind. But then she thought about another thing Satan had mentioned. “Wait. I didn’t take enough of his blood?”

“Yes. You need to drink some of the vampire’s blood before you can become a thrall. Didn’t you?” She shook her head – while there were quite a few fuzzy moments from last night, she was at least confident that there was _no_ bloodsucking whatsoever on her part.

“But you’re sure I’m a failed thrall?” she checked. “Maybe I’m…I don’t know. Something else.”

“Pretty sure you are. Our blood sweeps away all imperfections – you can treat it as a gift from your vampire master.” His lips quirked up. “But a thrall wouldn’t have so much free will. You’d be going out of your mind by now, trying to search for Asmodeus. That’s not the case here.”

“No, it’s not,” she echoed, turning his words over in her mind. She’d come to him looking for answers, and all she found was more questions. Before she could think of anything else to ask, the pixie came back, wobbling towards them with a giant tray in each hand.

“Apple pie and our signature honey cake!” the pixie declared, placing the tray on the table – she watched, hoping that she wouldn’t drop their food. She looked a little unsteady. “Also, a pot of freshly-brewed fruit tea. Thank you and have a nice day!” she chirped, bouncing away again.

Pixies were awfully cute. “Is this what you ordered for me? Honey cake?” she asked, staring at the aforementioned dessert – something seemed a little…off here. The beehive on her plate buzzed angrily, and she picked up her fork, wondering if she was supposed to _eat_ this thing.

“It’s just magic,” Satan said, already cutting into his very normal-looking apple pie slice. “You don’t have to worry about real bees or anything. It’s their speciality, you heard the pixie.”

“Right.” She eyed the beehive again. While from here it _did_ look like a cake, the buzzing was not helping her confidence in the slightest. “You know what? You ordered it, you eat it first.”

“Fine. Coward,” he hummed, and she glared at him, unable to retort. Satan sank his fork into the cake and she gasped as the fluffy sponge broke apart, amber honey flowing out onto the plate. “See? It’s just _magic_. This is good honey, you know. It’s harvested from special bees fed on nothing but faerie flowers. You won’t get to eat this anywhere else. Give it a try.”

She hesitated but picked up her fork anyway. Carefully, she bit into a piece of cake, and her eyes widened as the sweet, complex flavour of honey melted over her tongue – it was the kind of taste that was impossible to describe, rich and decadent yet somehow light and floral at the same time. She could feel tears springing to her eyes. “Oh my _god_ ,” she breathed.

“I told you. It’s good stuff. Drink some tea, too.” Satan poured the tea into a cup, and she was immediately struck by the overwhelming scent of fruits. It was neither sweet nor sour, and she took a deep breath, the scent going straight to her brain. It smelled so juicy, so perfectly ripe – her mouth was already watering, and she swallowed. God, she wasn’t even a fruit person.

“Don’t you want any?” she asked, gladly taking the cup he held out and downing the drink in one gulp. It was so refreshing – she felt like an entirely new person, all the aches and worries from yesterday dissipating, and she reached for the teapot, already craving another cup.

“No. But thank you for the offer.” And if she’d paid more attention to Satan she might have noticed the way his eyes darkened as he spoke, but right now she was too distracted by her sweets. “The sun will set soon. I’ll show you the way back to your inn after this,” he added.

She nodded, still digging into her cake, and his gaze lingered on her, thoughtful. He never finished his apple pie, though that was something she’d realise only after they left. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay yeah i don't think it's just going to be 3 chapters anymore but I'm aiming for 4, so...fingers crossed?

**Author's Note:**

> talk to me on [twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/dontenchantme)


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